Conventional blister packaging has been in existence for many years. Generally, blister packaging consists of a thin flexible plastic which forms a cavity within which a product is located. The plastic cavity is typically sealed with a thin sheet of coated cardboard, paper or clear plastic. Blister packaging typically envelops the entire product, allowing a consumer to view, but not contact, the contents of the package.
There are several problems associated with existing blister packaging. For example, blister packaging that incorporates relatively hard plastic is difficult to open, often requiring the use of a sharp blade or a scissors to cut and/or penetrate the packaging. Further, covering an entire product with blister packaging significantly increases the overall cost of the product by virtue of the increases in manufacturing costs (because more plastic must be utilized to create the finished product) and in shipping cost (because the overall volume of the product is increased).
Another prevalent problem is that certain classes of products, particularly tools which have exposed abrasive and/or sharp elements (e.g., brushes with wire bristles, utility knives with cutting blades), are typically sold without any protective packaging. While consumers usually take extra precautions when purchasing and handling these products, there is the potential for the exposed abrasive or sharp points to cause harm to unwary consumers, as well as damage adjacent unprotected products.